Apparatus for distilling petroleum, tar, or other substances under vacuum.



I {STEINSCHNEIDERl APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING PETROLEUM, TAR, 0R OTHER SUBSTANCES UNDER VACUUM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8, 1914.

Patented my 1916.

inw/afm ILEIO STEINSCHNEIEB, OF BRNN, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY,,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD 'EO PHILIP? FORGES, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, AND ONETTHIRD TO RICHARD NEUMNN, OF BRNN, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

APPARATUS ron nIsrILLING PETROLEUM, TAR, on OTHER VACUUM.

To all 'whom t may concern: I

Be it known that I, LEO vSTEINscHNErDER, engineer, a subjectief the Emperor of Austa-Hungary, residing at Franzensglacis 1,

-Brnn, in the llimpire of Austria-Hungary,

have invented a new and useful .Apparatus for Distilling Petroleum, 'l.`ar, or other Subwhichthe followstill or generating chamber.

Heretofore, in distilling under vacuum the condensates are usually allowed to flow through a valve-controlled pipe, into a receiver also under vacuum. When the. re-

ceiver is full, the valve in the infiow pipe 1s closed and the vacuum 1n the receiver is broken by the admission of air. The condensate may then be drawn from the re ceiver through a suitable outlet. When empty, this receiver may again be placed under vacuum, and the condensate again allowed to fiow into the same. Since these receivers are rather large, and takel consider.- able time to be filled (one or more hours) I it is only possible to examine the condensate at the ends of rather lengthy periods. o

The object ofthe present invention 1s to enable the condensate to be examined at much shorter and regular intervals, by admitting the condensate at frequent and regu-` lar intervals into a smaller receiving chamber, and discharging the condensate pat correspondingly frequent and regular inter- ,l

vals, irrespective of the receiving chamber being full or only partly full. This object may be attained by a regular mechanical actuation of the admission `and discharge valves 0f the receiver, so that the condensate may be examined at desiredintervals, for instance, of a minute each.

In the drawings which illustratev several forms of the improved apparatus for carrying the invention into effect, Figure l illustrates one embodiment of ther improved ap,

Specification of Letters Patent.`

SUIBSTANCES UNDER vieartcmrted .any 25,1916.

Application filed October 8, 1914. Serial No. 865,632.

paratus, and Figs. 2%4 show modifications v. .55 In Fig.' 1, A designates the still, K the' of the device V shown in Fig; 1.v

water cooled condenser, and C another con-` A denser. for receiving the uncondensedy gases from the condenser K, 4all of which operate A underl vacuum.

V 1s an improved receiver.

R is the collecting vessel, into which the condensates flow from the receiver in a visi.

ble manner.

4 F is a vacuum pump and 11'Fig. 1 an exhaust pipe through which uncondensable gases drawn from the condenser C through the' pipe'12 are passed ofi'. f

' The condensate coming from the condenser K fiows through the pipe 1 into the chamber 2 ofthe receiverV. By means of an actuating lever Q or other, suitable mechanism, which is preferably power-operated, a valve 3 in the receiverV is opened, allowing the condensate in the chamber 2 of the receiver to flow into the chamber 4. Afterl an interval of desired or predetermined duration the valve 5 is opened and the valve 3 closed by a spring or the like, whereupon the condensate 'can flow through the adjustable Siphon S in a visible manner into the collecting vessel R where it may be suitably inspected or examined. During this outflow, 'fresh condensate collects in the chamber 2 and the operations proceed eyelically. Y Portions of the condensate will thus pass regularly and at desiredintervals into the atmosphere. In the chamber 4 there is vacuum during one period of working, at

atmospheric pressure during the following y period of working.

rlhe extent to which the chamber 4v is filled with condensate during one working interval depends on the amount of condensed vapor which has passed over from the vstill in the said interval.A Each time after emptying, the entire free space in chamber4 will become filled with air, and this air must be drawn off by the airpump during the next workinginterval. For the purpose of making the quantity of air which has to be sucked away as small as possible, it is advisable'to make the'free space in the chamber 4 as smallas possible, i. e., only so large as will enable it to just hold the inflowng A amount of condensate at any par' titular stagev of ythe distillation.

ing adjusted justed. Accordingly, the capacity of the chamber 4 above vthe level t may be adjusted to the'-` iniiowing quantity of condensate.

air pump P), and

being put'under atmosph Upon openin .40

v:so

A open under the hydrostatic pressure of the' this condensate will vacuum. The val y special the control iliary valve '6, Which is connected Forthe purpose of facilitating the opening of the valves'3 and 5 or'other controlling devices, the arrangement may be so modified that before etherthe fvalve 3 or 5 is opened, equal pressures will be established on both sides thereof. As shown44 in Fig. 3,- auxiliary thevalve 7 being connected with the atmosphere.

' The controlling mechanismQJ before opening the valve 3 opens the valve 6, the valve 7 controlling the passage to the atmosphere 21 and the'outlet valve 5 remainingyclosed; by this means the chamber `4 is placed underk ve 3 is now opened. The as hereinbefore described,

condensate `flows from the chamber 2 into the chamber 4;. the further operation of the controlling mechanism Q acts to vallovv first the valve 3 and valve 6 to close. Then the valve 7 leading toy the atmosphere is opened, after 1s opened, the chamber 4 ericpressure. )rior e opening of the valve 5 by the va ve 7. of the valve 5 the condensate Hows out of t e chamber 4 of the receiver.

slmpler arrangement, which is useful in cases, is illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein mechanism is limited to. conto th chamber 2 and atmospheric or partial atmospheric pressure in the chamber 4. If the auxby a pipe 8 to the vacuum chambers the suction pipe l2 of the pump P) is opened by means o the external controlling mechanism, for example, by means of an eccentric E, then the chamber 4`Will be placed under vacuum, `the valve 7 remaining closed and The valve 3 will now condensate that has collected above it, and ov'v into the chamber 4. Thereupon the mechanism is reversed, z'. e., the valve6 is closed" and the valve 7 which communicates with the atmosphere,l I is Now,

emptied may be ad- Suction tube 12 of the` inlet for (condenser C or opened. Thereupon the chamber 4 is put into` communication with (the atmosphere and thevalve 3 is closed by the atmospheric pressure, since the chamber 2 is under'.

valves 6 and 7, operated by an eccentric El as,

showniin Fig. 4. The valve6 is connected to the suction side (suction'pipe l2) of the vacuumu pump by meansof a pipe 8, and the valve 7 is connected to thev atmosphere. From vthis apparatus a connecting pipe l0 leads to each 'offthe separate, chambers 4 (for example, at a, Fig. 2). The valves 6 and 7 4are alternately opened and closed by means of the eccentric El, so that' the receiving plant there are a pluchambers 4 are alternately placed under` Y vacuum or under atmospheric pressure.

If the construction shown in Fig. 3 is to be used, then the valves 6 and 7 may be omitted therefrom common apparatus, as shown in Fig. 4, .con-

and be replaced by 'the' nected by the pipelO to eachof the' separate chambers 4 `(for example, at a Fig.'3).

If, in order to establish the atmospheric pressure in the chambers 4, to admit air, then, instead of this air,- for example, the uncondensed gases in the condenser C may be used, by connecting the valves 7 by means of pipes 9 to the exhaust pipe 1l of the air pumpy (Fig. l) wherein atmospheric pressure exists and through which the gases escape. What is claimed is:v f l. A vacuum distilling device comprising a receiver for distillates,"said receiver being of relatively small capacity and having an the incoming fluid and an outlet for the outgoing fluid, pressure reducing means, andmeans for periodically at relatively short intervals opening and closing reducing means `upon said recelver. f

2. A vacuum .distilling device comprising a receiver for distillates having an inlet and an outlet, said`receiver being of relatively small capacity, auxiliary openings, ositively actuated means for periodically at relatively short intervals opening and clos ing said auxiliary-openings, a vacuum pump, the inlet and exhaust sides thereof being alternately brought in communication with the auxiliar'yb enings to establish vacuum and pressurein the receiver, the vacuum it is not desired Asaid inlet and outlet for governing the action y .of s aid pressure inlet for the incoming fluid and an outlet for the outgoing'iiuid, an opening in communication With pressure reducingl means, and an opening communicating with a medium adapted to-establish atmospheric pressure, and means for opening and closing said inlet and outlet and said openings, said means operating to periodically at relatively short intervals open and close said inletand .outlet, and, in conjunction therewith, to open and close said openings in communication with the Ypressure reducing means and the zone at atmospheric pressure.

. 4. A vacuum distilling device-comprising.

v, a receiver forv distillates, said receiver being of relatively small capacity and'having'v an inlet for the incoming fluid and an outlet for the outgoing iiuid, an opening in com# munication with pressure reducing means, and an opening communicating with a medium adapted to establish atmospheric pressure, and means for opening andf closing said inlet and outlet and said openings, said means operating to periodically at relatively short intervals open and close said-inlet and outlet, and, in conjunction therewith, to open and close said openings in communication withthe pressure reducing means and the zone at atmosphericpressure, and .said controlling means operating to place said receiver in communication with 4a pressure reducing means prior to the opening of the inlet, and being adapted to establish substantially atmospheric pressure in the receiver prior to the opening of said outlet.-

5. A vacuum distilling device comprising ra receiver for distillates having an inlet valve for the-incoming iuid and an outlet valve 'for the outgoing fluid, .means for opening said inlet and outlet,l and a vacuum pump adapted to have the inlet and exhaust sides. thereof alternately in communication with saidl receiver.` l

6. A vacuum distilling device comprising a receiver for distillates, rsaid receiver being of relativelysmall capacity and havingan' inlet valve for the incoming viiuid and an outlet valve for the outgoing fluid and positively acting mechanism adapted to regularly operate said valves at relatively short intervalsindependently of the progress of the distillation.

7. A vacuum. distilling device comprising a receiver for distillates having an inlet valve for the incoming fluid andan outlet valve for the outgoingffluidand positively acting mechanism adapted to regularly operate saidfvalves at relatively short intervals independently of the progress of the distgl-,

closing said auxiliary openings, said openvpressure being established prior to the openlation, the said receiver having auxiliaryv valves through which the pressure in said receiver may be alternately changed, said f actuating mechanism .operating one auxiliary valve/to establish a vacuum in the receiving chamber prior to the opening of the inlet valve and operating the other auxiliary valve to establish atmospheric pressure prior l to the opening of the-outlet valve.

8. A vacuum Adistillingdevice comprising a receiverforxdistillates, saidreceiver being of relatively smallcapacity and having an inlet valve for the incoming iuid and an outlet valve for the outgoing 'fluid, posit-ively` actuated auxiliary valves operating to establish vacuum and atmospheric pressure in the receiver, at relatively short in# tervals, the inlet and outlet being closed by the vacuum and pressure alternately estab` n regularly perate said valves at relatively short intervals independently of the progress of the distillation, said receiver having a'A capacity substantially equal to the amount of distillates which collect during the interval in which the receiver is closed.

10. A vacuum distilling device comprising a plurality of receivers for distillates having inlets and outlets, a chamber common to all receivers having auxiliary openings therein, positively actuated means 'for opening and ings operating to establish alternately vacuum and pressure simultaneously in all the receivers, the vacuum being establishedl prior to the opening of the inlets and the4 ing of the outlets.

11. A` vacuum distillingdevice comprising a plurality of receivers for distillates having inletfvalvesfor the incoming fluid and outlet valves for the outgoing fluid, two positively actuated auxiliary valves and pipes connecting the valves to each receiver, saidv valves being actuated at relatively short intervals, one of said auxiliary valves oper-- ating t establish a vacuum-simultaneously -`in lall h receivers prior to the opening of the inle lvalves and the other auxiliary valve serving/ to simultaneously. establish atmospheric pressure 'in all the receiversV before the outlet valve for. the distillate is opened. .12'5 l 12. vacuum distilling device comprising a receiver for distillates having an inlet and outlet, a vacuum device, and a collecting -vessel, means for alternately opening the `inlet and outletat relatively short intervals outlet, a vacuum "pump, l0

and bringing the receiver alternately in communication with the vacuum device and r with the collecting vessel, the capacity of the receivingv chamber being adjustable to the amount of the inowing quantity of distillates.

1 13. A vacuum distilling device comprising a receiver for distillates having an' inlet and and a collecting "essel, means for alternately opening the inlet and outlet at relatively short intervals and bringing the receiver alternately in communication with the vacuum pump and with v meaei- 

